South Coast Rail's finance plan, federal permit in hand

Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) and Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) officials on Monday announced the South Coast Rail Program has reached two critical first-phase milestones.

A finance plan now is complete for the more than $1 billion first phase, which will be fully funded in the commonwealth's capital investment plan, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has approved the final federal permit required for the program to advance, MBTA and MassDOT officials said in a press release.

The project calls for restoring commuter-rail service between Boston and Taunton, Fall River and New Bedford, Massachusetts — the only major cities within 50 miles of Boston that don’t have commuter-rail access to the city.

Early work now is underway for the first phase, including infrastructure improvements and the acquisition of land for stations, state officials said. The first phase includes extending the Middleborough Line service using diesel-powered trains to New Bedford and Fall River; reconstructing 17.3 miles of the New Bedford mainline and 11.7 miles of the Fall River secondary; upgrading the Middleborough secondary track from Pilgrim Junction to Cotley Junction covering 7.1 miles; building two new layover facilities; and constructing six new stations.

The finance plan was created after independent cost and schedule reviews were conducted by three firms: the existing project manager, existing owner's representative and an outside firm hired by the MBTA. While planners previously estimated that first-phase work would accommodate the start of passenger-rail service in late 2022, based on the consensus of the three independent reviews, the service start date now is projected for late 2023, state officials said.

The MBTA will not be required to provide any capital funding or issue revenue bonds for the first phase that might otherwise impact its future operating budget, they said.

"Providing rail service between the South Coast and Boston will increase access to economic opportunities in both regions," said Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker. "After decades of promised service, [the milestones] move the project further than it’s ever been before."